Hatch arrangement of a motor vehicle

Abstract

A hatch arrangement for a motor vehicle including a hatch leaf pivotably coupled to a vehicle body being movable between an open hatch position and a closed hatch position, a hatch drive arrangement for moving the hatch leaf, a hatch lock arranged on the hatch leaf, the hatch lock comprising a hatch lock catch, and a cinching system configured to move the hatch lock catch from the secondary latch position to the primary latch position. The hatch arrangement includes, a force transfer arrangement for transferring a force exerted by the hatch drive arrangement to the hatch lock catch, and including a transfer element coupled to the hatch drive arrangement and a Bowden cable connecting the transfer element with the hatch lock catch, and in the closed hatch position of the hatch leaf the hatch arrangement is free from pulling forces between the transfer element and the vehicle body.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A hatch arrangement for a motor vehicle including a vehicle body, the hatch arrangement comprising:
 a hatch leaf pivotably coupled to the vehicle body and movable about a hatch axis between an open hatch position and a closed hatch position; 
 a hatch lock arranged on the hatch leaf and including,
 a hatch lock catch configured to engage a hatch lock striker to retain the hatch leaf to the vehicle body when the hatch lock is in a primary latch position and a secondary latch position and to disengage the hatch lock striker when the hatch lock is in an open latch position; and 
 
 a hatch drive arrangement configured to move the hatch leaf and including,
 a cinching system configured to move the hatch lock catch from the secondary latch position to the primary latch position, and including, 
 a force transfer arrangement including a transfer element, coupled to the hatch drive arrangement, and a Bowden cable connecting the transfer element to the hatch lock catch, wherein the force transfer arrangement is configured to transfer a force exerted by the hatch drive arrangement to the hatch lock catch, and wherein when the hatch leaf is in the closed hatch position, the hatch drive arrangement is free from pulling forces between the transfer element and the vehicle body. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The hatch arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the transfer element itself does not move the hatch lock catch from the open latch position to the primary latch position or the secondary latch position. 
     
     
       3. The hatch arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein as the hatch lock catch moves from the secondary latch position to the primary latch position, no forces are transferred from the transfer element to the vehicle body. 
     
     
       4. The hatch arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the transfer element is a lever mounted to the hatch leaf and pivotable about a lever axis, the hatch drive arrangement is coupled to the transfer element at a first coupling point, and the Bowden cable is coupled to the transfer element at a second coupling point, wherein the first coupling point and the second coupling point are offset from the lever axis. 
     
     
       5. The hatch arrangement of  claim 4 , wherein the transfer element includes a lever arm wherein the first coupling point and the second coupling point are each arranged on the lever arm. 
     
     
       6. The hatch arrangement of  claim 5 , wherein the transfer element is movable between a first transfer element position and a second transfer element position. 
     
     
       7. The hatch arrangement of  claim 6 , wherein movement of the transfer element from the first transfer element position to the second transfer element position increases an angle defined by a first straight line, extending through the hatch axis and the lever axis, and a second straight line, extending through the first coupling point and a connecting point where the hatch drive arrangement is coupled to the vehicle body. 
     
     
       8. The hatch arrangement of  claim 6 , wherein moving the transfer element from the first transfer element position to the second transfer element position moves the hatch lock catch from the secondary latch position to the primary latch position. 
     
     
       9. The hatch arrangement of  claim 6 , wherein the Bowden cable includes an inner cable coupled to the transfer element such that, as the transfer element moves from the first transfer element position to the second transfer element position, the inner cable of the Bowden cable is partially wound around the transfer element. 
     
     
       10. The hatch arrangement of  claim 6 , wherein the first transfer element position is defined by a first stop position or the second transfer element position is defined by a second end stop, wherein at least one of the first stop position or the second end stop is formed by or disposed on the hatch leaf. 
     
     
       11. The hatch arrangement of  claim 6 , wherein, when the transfer element is in the first transfer element position, the first coupling point is positioned on a side of a line extending through the first coupling point and a connecting point where the hatch drive arrangement is coupled to the vehicle body, wherein the side of the line faces in a direction from the vehicle body towards the hatch leaf. 
     
     
       12. The hatch arrangement of  claim 11 , wherein when the transfer element moves from the first transfer element position to the second transfer element position, the first coupling point does not move across the line. 
     
     
       13. The hatch arrangement of one  claim 1 , wherein the hatch drive arrangement includes a spindle drive. 
     
     
       14. The hatch arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the hatch lock is arranged on a side of the hatch leaf opposite the hatch axis. 
     
     
       15. The hatch arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the hatch arrangement includes a wet area and a dry area and the hatch drive arrangement is arranged in the wet area and the hatch lock is arranged in the dry area of the hatch arrangement. 
     
     
       16. The hatch arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the hatch drive arrangement includes means for detecting a condition or a position of the hatch drive arrangement when the hatch lock catch is in the secondary latch position. 
     
     
       17. The hatch arrangement of  claim 12 , wherein the hatch drive arrangement includes at least one elastic member configured to force the transfer element position towards the first transfer element position, wherein the at least one elastic member is configured to hold the transfer element in the first transfer element as the hatch leaf moves from the open hatch position to a partially closed hatch position. 
     
     
       18. The hatch arrangement of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one elastic member is positioned such that the at least one elastic member acts indirectly on the transfer element via the hatch lock catch or the Bowden cable, or a second elastic member is positioned such that the second elastic member acts directly on the transfer element. 
     
     
       19. The hatch arrangement of  claim 1 , further comprising means for detecting a condition or a position of the hatch drive arrangement or a hard stop or damping stop configured to dampen, limit, or reverse a lateral movement of the hatch drive arrangement relative to the vehicle body as the hatch drive arrangement moves the hatch leaf from the open hatch position to the closed hatch position. 
     
     
       20. A hatch arrangement, for a motor vehicle provided with a vehicle body, including a hatch leaf pivotably coupled to the vehicle body and movable about a hatch axis between an open hatch position and a closed hatch position, the hatch arrangement comprising:
 a hatch lock arranged on the hatch leaf and including a hatch lock catch configured to
 engage a hatch lock striker to retain the hatch leaf to the vehicle body when the hatch lock is in a primary latch position and a secondary latch position, and 
 disengage the hatch lock striker when the hatch lock is in an open latch position; and 
 
 a hatch drive arrangement coupled to the vehicle body at a connecting point and configured to move the hatch leaf between the open hatch position and the closed hatch position, and including:
 a cinching system configured to move the hatch lock catch from the secondary latch position to the primary latch position, 
 a force transfer arrangement including a transfer element, pivotably coupled to the hatch leaf, pivotable about a lever axis from a first transfer element position to a second transfer element position, and defining a first coupling point, wherein the transfer element is coupled to the hatch drive arrangement at the first coupling point, and the force transfer arrangement is configured to transfer a force from the hatch drive arrangement to the hatch lock catch, 
 
 wherein when the hatch leaf is in the closed hatch position the hatch drive arrangement does not apply a force between the transfer element and the vehicle body, 
 wherein the hatch drive arrangement applies a force only to the transfer element to move the hatch lock catch from the secondary latch position to the primary latch position, and 
 wherein as the transfer element pivots from the first transfer element position to the second transfer element position, to move the hatch lock catch from the secondary latch position to the primary latch position, an angle defined between a first straight line, extending between the hatch axis and the lever axis, and a second straight line, extending between the first coupling point and the connecting point, is increased. 
 
     
     
       21. A hatch arrangement for a motor vehicle provided with a vehicle body, including a hatch leaf pivotably coupled to the vehicle body and movable about a hatch axis between an open hatch position and a closed hatch position, the hatch arrangement comprising:
 a hatch lock arranged on the hatch leaf and including a hatch lock catch configured to,
 engage a hatch lock striker to retain the hatch leaf to the vehicle body when the hatch lock catch is in a primary latch position or a secondary latch position, 
 disengage the hatch lock striker when the hatch lock catch is in an open latch position; 
 
 a hatch drive arrangement configured to move the hatch leaf; and 
 a cinching system configured to move the hatch lock catch from the secondary latch position to the primary latch position, and including,
 a force transfer arrangement configured to transfer a pulling force, exerted by the hatch drive arrangement, to the hatch lock catch, and including a transfer element, coupled to the hatch drive arrangement, and a Bowden cable connecting the transfer element to the hatch lock catch, and wherein when the hatch leaf is in the closed hatch position, the hatch arrangement does not exert pulling forces between the transfer element and the vehicle body.